St Dominic's School

St Dominic's School is a specialist setting for pupils with autism spectrum condition and/or speech, language and communication needs, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. It is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. Inspectors carried out a full section 5 inspection and found the school performing very strongly across all areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils progress well from varied starting points, achieve high outcomes, and most move on successfully to mainstream provision or other positive destinations. Attendance, although historically low, is improving because leaders build trusting relationships with families and respond quickly to absence. The curriculum is broad, aspirational and highly flexible, with strong teaching, prioritised reading and phonics, and effective targeted support. Pupils behave well in a calm, purposeful environment; bullying is rare and relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Inclusion is a major strength, with precise identification of needs, skilled adaptation, therapeutic provision and careful use of alternative provision. Personal development and post-16 provision are also strong, preparing pupils well for adulthood through extensive trips, careers guidance and accredited qualifications. Leadership and governance are deliberate and strategic, with robust monitoring, strong multi-agency working and positive feedback from parents and carers. Staff feel well supported and are proud to work at the school. The only next step is for leaders to continue refining and embedding their identified improvement priorities to sustain and extend the school's impact. No areas of concern or underperformance were identified.

Strengths

• Pupils progress very well from varied starting points and achieve high outcomes over time.
• The curriculum is broad, aspirational, flexible and consistently well taught.
• Reading and phonics are prioritised effectively, with targeted support in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Attendance is improving because leaders analyse absence and provide timely family support.
• Pupils behave well in a calm, purposeful school where bullying is rare and dealt with quickly.
• Pastoral support is highly effective and helps pupils manage their emotions and feel safe.
• Inclusion is a major strength, with precise identification of needs and timely, impactful support.
• Staff adapt the curriculum skilfully and use individualised interventions consistently well.
• Leadership, governance and trust oversight are robust, strategic and focused on pupil outcomes.
• Multi-agency working and positive relationships with parents and carers are significant strengths.
• Personal development is comprehensive, including tailored PSHE/RSE, British values, trips and cultural experiences.
• Post-16 provision is ambitious, personalised and prepares students well for adulthood and next steps.
• Careers education is well planned and provides meaningful guidance and employer encounters.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Dominic's School attended 89.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 28.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 5.6% of pupils at St Dominic's School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Dominic's School had 5.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 St Dominic's School had 183 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 St Dominic's School received £47,024 and spent £46,906 for each of its 162 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £870,000 (£5,367 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, income was £39,932 and spending £38,950 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Godalming · Surrey local authority: places and applications

St Dominic's School is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Unified Academy Dorking
• Brantridge School Haywards Heath
• St Philip's School Chessington
• Dysart School Surbiton
• Bedelsford School Kingston Upon Thames
• The Link School Croydon
• Carew Academy Wallington
• The PRIDE Academy West Drayton
• Arbour Vale School Slough
• Nightingale Community Academy London

What is St Dominic's School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Dominic's School is Strong standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was St Dominic's School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Dominic's School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does St Dominic's School have?

St Dominic's School has 183 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Dominic's School cover?

St Dominic's School for pupils aged 7 to 19.

What are St Dominic's School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 23.2, and 18% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are St Dominic's School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Dominic's School?

St Dominic's School is at Malthouse Lane, Hambledon, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 4DX.